I have a few basic questions on this topic.

How often should a watch be cleaned oiled and adjusted?

Does this change if a watch is used regularly vs being stored?

Are there tell-tale visual signs a watch needs to be cleaned? Are there other indications a cleaning is necessary?

Thanks,

Michael

That's a pretty complicated question.

Q: How often should a watch be cleaned oiled and adjusted?
A: Probably every 5-10 years depending if it's used and how it's stored and where you live.

Q: Does this change if a watch is used regularly vs being stored?
A: Yes.

Q: Are there tell-tale visual signs a watch needs to be cleaned?
A: The watch is dirty. Oil is gone from the pivots and cap jewel.

Q: Are there other indications a cleaning is necessary?
A: Yes. Watch will not run for 24+ hours on a full wind. Watch will not keep time even when adjusting with micro regulator. Watch does not run.

Thank you very much Frank.

The "modern lubricated" watches would follow Frank's rules for service when they begin erratic operation, or stop running due to some other physical damage. As these (synthetic) lubricants have such a high "vapor pressure" they will only "boil off" while the watch is destroyed by fire.

Early watch lubricants (which I refer to as "Fish brain extracts") seriosly endangered the watch by "petrifying" into hard lumps of nasty glue after only a few years of their use. I have spent many hours repairing these after their previous owners tried to "get them running" by spinning the balance wheel (breaking the roller Jewel pin and or the pallet jewels and balance staff!)

So generally speaking, when a watch is not running, "HANDS OFF" until a competent and thoughtful job can be done on it's restoration.

(As some watchmaker's put it in a nutshell.) "If it ain't runnin, fix it".

David - Excellent points.

I was writing from the perspective of a watch that was last serviced using the more modern synthetic oils. If the watch has the caked green goo in the jewel pivots that's generally very bad news.

Also, a watch can look fairly clean and run (although it will usually be running fast) but be in dire need of service because natural oils were used and the watch is now running dry.

One way to tell is the "Smell Test". You just smell the watch up close and if it smells like rotting leather (that's what it smells like to me) or fish that's gone bad then it needs cleaning.

Thanks very much for pointing that out David.